What's in a Name?
by EbonyIvoryy
Summary: The meaning behind each name in the new Elric family. Post-108, EdWin!babies A four-part series.
1. Part I

**Title:** "What's in a Name?" 1/4**  
Author:** Livejournal — theothardus / Fanfiction — ebonyivoryy  
**Pairing:** Ed/Winry  
**Rating:** K+  
**Disclaimer:** I only steal the unwritten drabbles in Arakawa's mind. MINDF*CK'D |'D  
**Summary: **The meaning behind each name in the new Elric family.  
**A/N: **Originally posted on my LJ. Here are four parts that I've finally finished and decided to post on FF . net~!

**_~xxx~_**

During Winry's first pregnancy, her third trimester seemed to drag by—days were long, nights were longer. It was as if the baby didn't _want _to be born. Being that Ed wasn't used to this "man-with-pregnant-wife" stuff, the slightest indication of anything gone wrong caused him to wig out. If she went down the stairs, he'd immediately stand by her side, insisting on carrying her when she needed no help. If she had a cramp or a headache, he'd assault her with many questions, then over-do the hospitality with fifteen blankets and a bucket of soup.

Maybe he went overboard, but after all, he was only nineteen. When he had traveled out west, he wasn't exactly reading "What to Expect When You're Expecting" books. They were fresh into marriage—right when they returned from their honeymoon in Xing, actually—when he received the overwhelming news. Honestly, he didn't expect to start a family _that_ quickly.

Nonetheless, he felt a strangely overjoyed. To have children with the woman he loved; it was the start to a fantastic new journey.

There were still doubts, though. Anguish resurfaced, especially during Winry's third and final trimester. Could he even be a father? What if he left, just as Hohenheim did? Don't get him wrong; Edward no longer held resentment toward the man, but it was soon replaced with fear. Strangely, he wanted advice from the very person who abandoned his wife and sons so many years ago.

Ed found himself unable to get Hohenheim out of his thoughts. The first face he saw when waking up in the morning was not Winry, but his dad. The only voice he heard on the phone was not Al's, but his dad's. Every conscious bone in his body screamed at him to visit his father's grave. This continued for a few weeks until anguish boiled into anger.

One afternoon, he happened to see something on the bookshelf from the corner of his eye—a five-inch book with slant gold print and an ebony exterior. Curiosity fueled him. He pulled it from the shelf and read the cover.

'_Xerxes mythology: tales of the thousand-year kingdom_.'

Reluctantly, he flipped the cover and scanned through the first few pages. Xerxes, where it all began. Xerxes, the land in which half of his blood derives. Xerxes, his father's homeland as a bound slave.

Maybe, just maybe, reading this might quench the thirst that yearns for Hohennheim's wisdom. Maybe, in some weird way, he'd speak to him through the poetic text.

And thus started a fascination with the tales of an ancient civilization. Whenever he was not suffocating Winry, he spent hours in the lounging room, picking up a mythology textbook. There was one specific tale, however, that couldn't stop reading. He was already familiar with it, being that many alchemy texts make references to folklore (and Trisha used to read him and Al these stories before they went to sleep).

This specific tale was about a protagonist named Theo—a man who made wings of wax in an effort to reach the sun. When he got too close, his wings melted, and he came crashing back down to Earth. In the book, a man with golden hair and golden eyes was illustrated reaching for the sun. Deep within the painted protagonist's face, he thought he saw his father.

Theo Van Elric. That was the first name that came to mind of the fateful night of their child's birth. He was a healthy baby boy; the Xerxes genes ran strong, dominating his hair and eyes. Winry, who was tired and ragged from hours of labor, seemed to enjoy the fitting name. Secretly, she had an idea of what inspired it. Ed, who was teary-eyed and beside himself, knew that, even if there wasn't a heaven, Hohenheim was somehow looking down on them with a smile. Theo would definitely live up to his name.

_**~xxx~**_


	2. Part II

**Title:** "What's in a Name?" 2/4  
**Author:** theothardus / ebonyivoryy  
**Pairing/Characters:** Ed/Winry; includes EdWin!children, Pinako, and Paninya  
**Rating:** K+ (I say 'ass' like, one time. Give me a break.)  
**Summary: **The meaning behind each name in the new Elric family.  
**Disclaimer: **Arakawa owns all.  
**A/N: **Welcome to the second installment name ficlets! I was unable to decide between two names for their daughter, but as you can see, I made my decision. Hopefully y'all understand why I chose it after reading this. ^.^

_**~xxx~**_

"…Winry?" Granny, with her silver hair and beady eyes, penetrated every emotion her granddaughter burdened, as if telepathy ran in the Rockbell family.

But Winry was an Elric, now. Such a supernatural power would have timed out.

The petit old woman watched as her pregnant granddaughter eased herself into the rocking chair, her swollen tummy making every simple task a complex situation. Mrs. Elric was now carrying her second child, eight months along.

Both ladies could hear Edward's voice from downstairs, interacting with two-year-old Theo. There were a few laughs here and there, the conversation involving something about "stickers" and "hair".

Silence filled the room momentarily.

"Let me tell you a story," Pinako said, her spectacles focused on the balcony window.

The young woman blinked. She waited, silenced, but no story reached her ears. Sure, she was a bit impatient and hormonal, but wasn't most of the female population?

Nevertheless, she continued to stare. Pinako seemed to be taking her sweet time. She slid her glasses off, pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, and began cleaning the lenses with diligent fingers. Her eyes used to be beautiful, ocean blue gems, but were now squinted gray specks. What she would give to be in her prime again.

"…Your mother and father were a picture perfect couple; they seemed to have everything figured out. Med school, a degree, marriage, children… they even had their minds set on a name for you. _Wendy."_

Each syllable of the word curled out of Pinako's tongue. So elegantly, pronounced with care. In the reflection of her lenses, she saw nostalgia. A film reel replaying every moment when her son and daughter-in-law were still alive.

Winry was certainly interested. She gave her a look as if to say, 'go on'.

Ms. Rockbell, for once, spoke without an opium pipe between her pruned lips. "Urey and Sara practically had their lives on an agenda. Everything had a plan, and every plan had a back-up plan. But the day your mother went into labor, however… well, let's just say that your father's face was priceless. It definitely hadn't gone according to plan, Sara's water breaking a week before her due date. Everything was going wrong that day, or so it seemed…"

She paused once again. A smile plagued her maw, each corner lifting up so serenely.

"…And then I took you from the womb. All that was planned had been scattered, but those two didn't have a care in the world. All they wanted, now, wasn't a schedule, but to feel their daughter's warmth, to admire their daughter's face. I'll never forget it. Chubby fingers, rosy cheeks, big blue eyes. You were the most heavenly infant I have yet to lay eyes on, and I knew your parents felt the same."

Winry smiled at that, a comforting heat taking hold of her heart. It not only made her feel guarded by her parents' presence, but also brought back memories of when Theo was born. She thought the same of him—her gorgeous baby boy with a dimpled face and golden feathers.

The grandmother continued, "Then there were the documents. Another plan so well coordinated. When I had asked the name of their daughter, they said Wendy—obviously their hearts were taken with the name. Keep in mind, I was still an old woman at the time, I must've had worms in my ears. I wrote 'Winry' instead of 'Wendy' on your birth certificate. Your father noticed this, but instead of getting angry, he began to laugh. I insisted on re-writing it, but he stopped me. He looked over to you. 'Winn-i-fred,' is what he said. Sara liked it, and after a simple agreement, they had me write _Winnifred (Winry) Rockbell_ on the certificate. I asked them where they got the idea behind Wendy, and as it turns out, Wendy was a term they used for patients that were mutilated so badly, they couldn't be identified. It was something they made up in Med School that brought them close together. It sounded very sentimental, so when I asked them why they didn't name you Wendy, your father responded, 'Not everything in life is dates and times. Sara and I, we need spice in our lives. You've given us that spice, ma,'…"

All of this information was absorbed like a sponge into Winry's eardrums. Who would've thought? Pinako, in a sense, was the one who named her. For all she knew, she could've been Wendy Elric right now.

The story had perfect timing. She had been thinking of names for the baby, but couldn't come up with a single one. This didn't just apply to names, though. She had doubts of her capability to love another child just as much as she loves Theo. But now, it all made sense. When the baby came, she would just _know_. The name, her love, their future. She'd know it all. Maybe Granny's wisdom, combined with her beloved parents' intellect, would shed a little spice into her and Ed's life as well.

Pinako slid her glasses back on and tucked in her handkerchief. "I'd better go check on the boys. God knows what they're doing down there, and I'm willing to bet that Theo is covering his daddy's hair in stickers again."

Winry lifted her lips and nodded whilst watching her grandma stroll out the door. Her gaze averted back to her stomach. She hummed softly, rolling her palm down the watermelon of a belly, stretching the soft silk of her cream-colored gown.

She whispered to the fetus cocooning inside her womb, "You hear that, baby? There's no reason to fret anymore."

**_~xxx~_**

Paninya cooed, chirped, and squawked, among other unnatural noises that made Ed want to deck her in the face. She wriggled her finger against the tip of the six-month-old's nose, repeating how cute she was and how she just wanted to squeeze her and never let go.

"Touch my daughter, and you'll be needing automail for your arms, too," Edward threatened, narrowing his eyes.

Winry elbowed him in the ribs, pushing an _'oof!' _out of him. What? They had a discussion on the train that he'd be nice! (This has yet to happen, as long as they're in Rush Valley.)

Theo snickered at his father's pain, but tried to apologize with a fake, "Oh no! Papa's hurt!" clinging oh-so-dearly to his pant leg.

With a sweet smile, Paninya crouched down at eye-level with the toddler. She ruffled around his hair a bit, inquiring, "Do you remember me, Theo? I know the last time I saw you, you were so little. You've gotten so big, now!"

He was ever-so-modest about the compliment, blushing in his own bashful way. Though he held his father's praise highest, praise from others wasn't too bad either. Theo quickly got over his modesty.

"Uh'course I am! I'mma man like daddy!"

She giggled at that. The boy had certainly developed an ego… but it was just too cute! His father grinned down at him, patting his crown. Paninya hopped back up like a pogo stick and went back to prodding at the baby girl in Winry's arms.

"You have your mommy's hair and eyes, don't you little one?" she murmured. Her index digit continued to dance in the child's face. She didn't seem to mind, quite fascinated with the tanned finger—her sapphire eyes widening and pouty lips twitching—but Paninya's actions only made Ed want to kick her ass all the way to Dublith. He bit the inside of his cheek to quiet any smart remarks and/or threats.

The tomboy's mouth gaped when something dawned on her. "Oh, Winry—you never told me her name!"

The blonde quirked her head. "I didn't?" With a sparkle that could have been Armstrong's, the tips of her mouth perked up. "It's Wendy."

_**~xxx~**_


	3. Part III

**Title:** "What's in a Name?" 3/4  
**Author:** theothardus / ebonyivoryy  
**Pairing:** Ed/Winry  
**Rating:** K  
**Summary: **The meaning behind each name in the new Elric family.  
**Disclaimer: **I love and respect our dear mangaka, which is why I would never steal from her.  
**A/N: **I was hoping the readers would be able to see the coorelation between the fictional Alexander with lions, and Alphonse with kittens. c: Enjoy!

**_~xxx~_**

Alexander. The protagonist who marched through golden planes, leaving behind a trail of flowers for every lion cub to follow. He did this in an effort to bring them back home to their mothers, where they could return to their safe and warm habitat. The mama lion was always grateful, but never growled a word of thanks. Sauntering every inch of Earth, his seemingly "endless" supply of flowers ran low until he unable to find his own way home. All thanks to his selflessness, no longer could he see his mother's face again.

You can find all this on page 59 of _Xerxes Mythology: Tales of the Thousand-Year Kingdom_.

A pair of brilliant eyes slid shut, and with one sly motion, Edward Elric set the mythology book back into its rightful place. It once resided in the bookshelf, but now sat comfortably under his and Winry's bed. He folded his reading glasses—the ones he despised so much—and set them on the nightstand. With his hands folded over his stomach, his eyes stuck to the ceiling. Nostalgia struck him through the chest.

Ed and Al were together for as long as he could remember. Seldom did they part in their childhood. When their mother died, they were all each other had. When they were shipped off to a stray island by their "hospitable" teacher, they were each other's crutch. On the night they set out to bring their mother back, they sacrificed everything for each other. _Everything_.

"Have my arm, have my leg, _have my heart, **you can take it!**_" Ten-year-old Ed howled, hot tears bubbling down his cheeks like smoldering grease. Blood covered him in great proportions. His shaking finger was drowning in the substance, tracing it into transmutation circles on both himself and the nearest thing to him—a hefty suit of armor. "_Just give him back! He's the only family I have left!_"

With just one clap, all went white. Nothing would ever be the same.

During their days in the military, voyaging for the Philosopher's Stone, their minds were set. Al was Ed's lifeline, Ed was Al's lifeline. Without one, the other could not go on. They could trust no one in the military. The moment he became a soldier, he became a dog that had to be ready to roll on command; yet the only one he pledged loyalty to was his little brother.

And then, the moment that Edward fulfilled his promise. His brother's body may have been nothing but skin and bones, but he was still Alphonse nonetheless.

"That was crazy, Al," the sixteen-year-old commented at the gate, holding a hand out to help the frail boy stand.

Al snickered, responding, "Speak for yourself." He took hold of his brother's hand.

"Let's go home."

Yet again, all went white. Nothing would ever be the same.

The next two years were bliss. So much so, that it nearly erased the unfortunate events and pain they had endured. That was the past. This is the present. The future holds so much more.

Sure, Ed and Al had diverged in the past few years—Ed traveling west, marrying Winry, having children; Al traveling east, brushing up on his alkahestry skills, building a bond with Mei Chang, learning new cultures. They both were turning into separate men with separate lives. Still, the bond that they shared and continue to share will never expire.

Something broke Ed's devoted attention to the ceiling. A tiny pair of footsteps clumsily flopping across the hallway. He didn't notice his two-year-old burst through the door until he tugged on his daddy's sleeve.

"Papa!" he exclaimed. "Papa!"

Edward flinched and looked down to his son. Rolling over to face him, he scuffled the boy's crown, an upward curl replacing his frown. Sleep was in his voice, even though he hadn't even closed his eyes for a second that night.

"Hey there, little Al," he tried to keep his voice down so he wouldn't wake his wife, whose back faced them. "Why aren't you in bed?"

The toddler continued to hang on his father's shirt like a little monkey. "Big bruda told me uncle's comin' tomorr'uh!" His tiny body jumped with excitement.

Ed scooped him up and set him on his broad chest. "Did he?"

This was strange. He wasn't told that Alphonse was visiting. Was Winry keeping it a surprise? Why would she?

Perplexed and wanting to know more, he decided to get the information out of 'little Al'.

"What else did Theo say?" He stared into his son's supernal sapphire eyes, an heirloom of Winry's, which reminded him of two blueberries freshly plucked from a bush.

"That—'s—uh secret!" he replied in his amateur speech. He continued to babble in a foreign language, unable to control the volume of his voice. Ed didn't know how, but somehow, he understood every word he said. He always seemed to understand baby language, whether it was Theo, Wendy, or their third blessing.

The man put a finger against his lips, hushing little Al in fear that Winry would awake and his interrogation would be over. Little Al's mouth shaped into an 'o' as he quickly nodded in understanding. Instead of continuing, though, he buried his face into the deep red cloth of his father's dress shirt. He balled it into his fists, the clothing serving as a blanket. Little Al always loved the man's dress shirts, and how, right before Ed went to bed, the buttons were loosened and half of his chest was exposed, giving off that 'Papa Bear' vibe.

Edward sighed. He obviously wasn't going to get any answers from his child. Suddenly, the boy's eye opened, and he noticed the shiny corner of a book sticking out of the bed, realizing just what it was.

"Pap—!" He started off a bit loud, paused, then began again in a hush-hush tone. "Papa… read story t'uh me?" His chubby finger pointed down to the book that stuck out like a sore thumb. It was his favorite one—something he shared with his other two siblings.

"A'ight," Edward spoke, grunting lightly as he reached down for the hardcover. "Let's see…" Briefly flipping through the pages, his orbs skimmed every other word. "Which one?"

"The one 'bout me," little Al answered with a glowering smile.

'Papa Bear' reflected his smile. Pushing his rectangular spectacles on, he brought the boy up to his torso so they could view the text together. As he began to read, little Al cuddled his cheek onto the man's collarbone, while the man gradually rested his chin on his child's head.

"….Mother Lion watched as the Great Alexander drifted away, the depths and hues of a lunar rainbow devouring his very corpse. The shadow that remained—" He was interrupted, mid-story, by the light exhale of his son. As his eyelids narrowed down, he caught sight of him—asleep and at peace—which fed his soul with the wonderful feeling only felt as a parent.

The house fell silent. Even the crickets of the night rendered to muteness. All that was left was the rise and fall of wistful breaths. Edward shut the cover, stashed the book beneath the bed frame, and turned off the lamp's light with one tug.

He reached over to ease his hand over the swell of Winry's hip, pressing his lips to her neck. As he reclined back to his usual position, his eyes became heavier than he had realized. Before he gave in to slumber's spell, he made sure to kiss his son's temple and bid him farewell.

"Good night, Alexander."


	4. Part IV

**Title:** "What's in a Name?" 4/4  
A**uthor:** theothardus / ebonyivoryy  
**Pairing:** Ed/Winry  
**Rating:** K+ (For one swear word. Sue me.)  
**Summary: **The meaning behind each name in the new Elric family.  
**Disclaimer: **I only steal the unwritten drabbles from Arakawa's mind. MINDF*CK'D |'D  
**A/N: **Welp~! This is the conclusion to a four-part series. But who knows, I may write more with the EdWin!children in the future. Possibly with them as teenagers ;D (Oh swell this should be fun~)...P.S., If any of you have watched PLL, no, I did not intentionally rip off the names "Ezra" and "Aria". xD Honest.

**_~xxx~_**

He thought he had been through hell. Ha! _This_ was hell.

Having not only a six-year-old, four-year-old, and three-year-old to deal with, but a set of newborns, too. Not having a moment of silence in the house. Not one moment to unwind. Getting three hours of sleep every night, and moreover, getting pissed on by his infant son when he woke up to change his diaper. He almost considered wearing a mask whenever he woke up at midnight, having been so used to the fire hose to his face. His other two sons didn't do that when they were that young, but Winry tried to explain that every child would differ in some way, whether it be habits or behaviors.

What's worse, whenever he sobbed, it woke his twin sister, thus setting her off. And then begins an endless cycle of high-pitched wailing.

Winry tended to the twins an hour ago, yet they were going at it once again. Fuck. Now it's his turn.

Edward squinted his crusty eyes at the clock; three in the morning. Gurgling at the back of his throat, the man forced himself from the mattress and onto the mahogany floor. He could see from the corner of his eye that Winry's shoulders had loosened, relieved that he willingly volunteered instead of her insisting.

With a scuffle of his slippers, Ed dragged himself out of the bedroom, so weary that he was able to block out the screeching of the newborns. His arms fell loosely at his sides, though he felt like a nutcracker, moving slowly and stiffly.

If he weren't so out of it, Ed may have been surprised to see his daughter awake and weeping before her brother had. He scooped his baby girl out of the crib and gently hushed her in the ear, rocking her back and forth. Her sobs weren't as piercing, now, but they were still loud, and her tears continued to trickle down her porcelain cheeks.

The corner of his lips tugged up in a weak smile. Though black circles were forming on his eyelids, it was really masking the light erupting from his pupils. The three-week-old opened her eyes two-no, three times, revealing the amber hue hiding behind them. Her hair, matching his, was light and feathery, swirling at the tip; just like her mother's (and her elder sister's) had at that age.

If a kind and forgiving look wouldn't calm her sobs, he only knew one other way. Edward began to recite a poem from ancient Xerxes, one that he'd read just as much as the folktales; so much, in fact, that he remembered out of sheer repetitiveness.

"_Born on the night of the moon  
Aria swoops and she swoons  
Her beauty fools plenty  
Her grace, her melody  
She calls for her brother  
To join her in moon song…"_

Halfway through the stanzas, her sobs softened into hiccups, tear ducts drying. She weakly opened her eyes again, but this time, keeping them open. Staring up at her father in wonder, the only thing she was able to recognize was the soft tone of his voice. She seemed to enjoy it, nonetheless.

His smile came back again, this time mirthful, the black circles fading as his whispering voice jerked up a notch…

_"O-ho!" _he leaped up, a half-inch from the ground (careful not to startle her).

Her rosy lips twitched, revealing a gummy smile.

He chuckled at her reaction, worming his index finger around her belly. Her legs kicked a bit, flashing that pink smile her father adored so much.

Slowly, he sounded out the last syllables,

"…_They'll spread their trickery  
Upon the innocent_…"

The finishing line had her eyelids dropping, already asleep by the time that he was a few steps from the crib. He made sure to lay her down with care, as if handling delicate china.

"Good night, Aria."

Of course, once she was curled up and he was about to step into the hallway, his son began to squirm about, making the beginning sounds of what was to be weeping and wailing.

A sigh. Damn it. He was just beginning to imagine the heaven of sleeping in a warm bed, too…

Edward didn't have to pick him up and smell his diaper in order to know that he needed to be changed. He decided to begin reciting the second-half of the poem before the boy even _thought_ about crying. The first stanza floated from his mouth as he lifted him into the air.

"…_Death on the day of the sun  
'mongst the humans, Ezra is shun  
His sneers with victory  
Those fools will be marching  
Once he conquers God's thumb  
Fallen limp by sun song_…"

Meanwhile, Edward set him on the changing table and began undoing his footsy pajamas. Just as he dug his fingers into the folds of the infant's diaper, Ed lifted his chubby, little legs in a playful gesture, sounding just as he did with Aria.

_"O-ho!"_

With a balled fist in front of his maw, the infant smiled meekly, just as gummy and toothless as his fraternal sister's. This never failed to amuse the man, smirking while his heart fluttered.

As he threw the dirty diaper into the small trash can beside the nightstand, Ed flinched, ready to be doused with urine. Nothing doused him, though, and when he saw the pleasant but curious expression on his son's face, he knew he was safe.

"…_They flee with their backs  
Against the wind_…"

He continued to wipe the boy and wrap the fresh diaper with grace (an odd and rare characteristic for Mr. Elric). With swift hands, he pulled his son's legs in the footsies, suiting him back into in the woolen pajamas. As he cradled the doe-eyed infant, he continued…

"…_ 'Til the moon stops rising and the sun stops setting,  
the twins will continue to reach for the stars,  
deem the highest one most desirable,  
and consume humanity with an ignorant tongue._

_Then, is when,  
dear Ezra and Aria,  
prolong their sweet moon song_..."

Laying him right where he left him, he took one good look at the beautiful creation he and Winry conceived months before.

_"O-ho_…"

The science between two human beings, even in the hands of nature, can be overwhelmingly wondrous; more so than any transmutation circle or periodic element.

As Ed slipped into the hallway, he whispered,

"Sleep tight, Ezra."

**_Fin._**


End file.
